bike culture blogged

I’m practical. I know my wife and family wouldn’t dare buy me more than a $20 cycling item. They know that no matter who they ask, it’ll probably end up being the wrong size/fit/style/color. That said there’s always room for stocking stuffers so here’s a list of the last minute little things I (and I assume most cyclists) can’t get enough of:

Glove Liners - I’m not sure of the physics, but glove liners keep my hands feeling dryer in my wet gloves. I also tend to loose these a lot, thus the need for many.

Smartwool Socks - I’m sure other brands are just as good, but I love my Smartwools. They are perfect for combating wet feet and they can pinch-hit as work socks if I forget.

Red Blinkies - I always loose/break these things. I strap them to all of my bags and like to keep extras on hand when I run out of battery.

Chamois Creme - I’m partial to Greyhound Juice, but there are plenty of players out there. It’s a consumable and I prefer to have a stash in my closet, my garage, my gym locker, and in my messenger bag.

Cycling DVD’s - When I need to, I ride the trainer, and the only thing better than watching “Lost” on the trainer, is a bike movie. 90 minutes never went by so quick.

Base Layers - Now that I’ve gotten used to these, I use one for every ride. The more base layers, the less often I need to do laundry.

Knogs - Like rear blinkies, these are great to have on hand in case I get caught out a little later than planned.

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With all the wind damage, riding on the trail required skills most of us aren’t used to employing on the way into the office this week. This morning debris was finally cleared and the parade of commuters is back to “normal”.

How did I ever find my way home before this little guy? I’ve always relied on inexpensive LED lights to navigate the dark trail - mostly because I was too cheap and thought my eyes were plenty good. There are a number of comparable lights out there these days. $200 buys a lot of lumens these days compared to the halogen options of just a couple years back.

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Riding to work on a day like today. Seattle had a huge storm last night. Today’s drive into Seattle took forever because the bridge was closed. As I made my way into work I could gauge my progress in the bike lane against cars struggling to make it through unlit traffic lights. I’m pretty sure I made it to the office 20 minutes faster than had I driven. That’s the best.